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People who have played both soccer and gaelic

13

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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,191 ✭✭✭howiya




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    and seeing that we wont get to mention it again Diarmuid the Rock O Sullivan played AIL rugby off season, Kieran Donaghy played basketball as did Michael Quirk and Ronan McGarrity while Eric Miller had a brief spell with Ballyboden St Endas two seasons ago.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,852 ✭✭✭Glenbhoy


    Martin O'Neill was from Derry. He played underage with Derry, but the height of his gaelic football career was playing in the McRory club final with St. Malachys.

    I remember attending an event that Micheál O Muircheartaigh was speaking at and he talked about the importance of the club.

    He talked about a conversation he had with Martin O'Neill who he knew from his days playing with St.Malachys. He said that Martins father never had a gra for soccer and never really got over the fact that he stopped playing gaelic football to go play professional soccer!

    Martin brought him over for the the European final, i think the 1980 one, and afterwards he went to chat him in the hotel thinking that he'd be impressed after all his son was after winning arguably the greatest competition in club soccer in one of the greatest stadiums in the world. He sat down beside his father and asked him "well Da, what'd ya think of that?"

    There was a pause for a minute and then he said "Son, its all grand and that but it'll never compare to winning a senior championship with your club.":D

    his big brother played in derry's first ever all ireland final in 1958. Martin missed 2 penalties for Derry v Kerry in the All Ireland Minor Semi final of 1969 or 1970?

    Strangely his gaelic club have still never won a senior championship!

    Current Derry footballer Paddy Bradley played for Dungannon Swifts, Damien McCusker (all ireland winning goal keeper) played for Ballyclare Comrades, a pile of the Deery lads who've played for Derry City and Coleraine etc also played for Slaughtmanus gaa.
    There's too many to mention as most serious gaa players keep up their fitness in the off season by playing soccer or rugby, often this can be at a fairly high standard as they've got a good grounding with their fitness and athleticism.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,852 ✭✭✭Glenbhoy


    Saint_Mel wrote: »
    Arsenal, and apparently (probably urban myth) Paul Merson or someone reckoned Geraghty was the fittest player he'd ever seen

    merson said it anyway, i heard him say it on 'saint and greavsie talk sport' or some crappy programme like that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,852 ✭✭✭Glenbhoy


    Gerry McElhinny played for Derry and went on to play for Bolton and Northern Ireland. Gerry Armstrong (Spurs Watford and N IRE) played for Antrim. Jimmy Barry Murphy played for Cork Celtic. His son palys in the English First Division and presumably played GAA at some stage. I also remember hearing at some stage that Barney Rock had a trial at Leeds as a keeper.

    his younger brother eddie also played a bit for Derry gaa and Coleraine, i'm pretty sure he played in england too, but can't quite remember, did he play for Plymouth too??


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,852 ✭✭✭Glenbhoy


    Steve Staunton won a Louth senior football medal at the age of 16 or 17.

    as did rob kearney, who also starred for Louth minors as a 16yo v dublin minors in croker. Quite a few of the rugby boys have an impressive gaa pedigree.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,254 ✭✭✭LeoB


    McArmalite wrote: »
    Kevin Moran must surely be the only man to have won an FA Cup medal and an All Ireland senior ?

    ( BTW, I think he was the first man ever to be sent off in an FA Cup final ? )

    Yes. Con Martin won a Leinster medal with Dublin in 1941 and got the medal about 30 years later as he fell foul of the ban and who knows could have won an All-Ireland the following year. He won an F.A.1 Cup medal in 1946 (?) with Drumcondra. I remember hearing older people talking about him when I was a young lad and apparently he was a super athlete. He is also unusual in the amount of twists his career had. He became first choice keeper at Villa when their keeper got injured and also played in goal for Ireland. Was on the Irish team that beat England 2-0 at Goodison and scored one of the goals.

    Con still lives in Rush and last week his grandson Owen Garvan scored for Ipswich in F.A. Cup.

    John O'Leary played with Glebe North in L.S.L and also for Rush Athletic. Did Jason Sherlock play all ireland basketball?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    Im pretty sure Pat Jennings played a bit of gaa aswell in his early days.


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,034 ✭✭✭✭The_Kew_Tour


    Im pretty sure Pat Jennings played a bit of gaa aswell in his early days.


    he did indeed, good one.

    remember him saying that his high ball catching skills was helped big time from him playing Gaelic.


  • Registered Users Posts: 136 ✭✭Derryleigh


    I think Keith Barr had a trial with some lower leageue English club but he wasnt too impressed with the soccer boys putting gel in their hair and after shave on.....before the match!!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,254 ✭✭✭LeoB


    good one.

    remember him saying that his high ball catching skills was helped big time from him playing Gaelic.

    Jeasus and here is me thinking it was from all the "Cookestown Sizzlers" he had.

    Did Keith Barr play a friendly for Gillingham along with Mick Deegan? One of them scored


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,034 ✭✭✭✭The_Kew_Tour


    Jimmy Quinn the former Northern Ireland footballer was meant be decent hurler in his time


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,772 ✭✭✭civis_liberalis


    Seamus Conneely - Irish U-21 international right-back. Established member of the Galway United squad.

    Played minor football for Galway as well as junior football for his local club Na Piarsiagh. Also played U-21 and Senior A for nearby club, Micheál Breathnach, which had teams at those grades at those grades.

    I don't think he would have played much in the way of organised soccer until his later teens.


  • Registered Users Posts: 92 ✭✭Geard


    Seamí Coleman- Everton and Killybegs.
    Xabi Alonso- Real Madrid and some louth school


  • Registered Users Posts: 22,249 ✭✭✭✭Lemlin


    I think there are alot of urban myths on this thread so far!

    I never heard of Mark McKeever going to Sheffield Wednesday for example.

    Martin Reilly, from Killygarry, who plays for Cavan now, was formerly with Burnley at underage level and came home. That one is definitely true.

    I imagine most Irish soccer players played GAA though because people who are generally good at one are good at the other.

    Cillian Sheridan was a great player for Cavan minors and Bailieboro Shamrocks in Cavan before going to Celtic. He's now not having a great time at Plymouth so could be back yet!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    Lemlin wrote: »
    I think there are alot of urban myths on this thread so far!

    I never heard of Mark McKeever going to Sheffield Wednesday for example.

    Martin Reilly, from Killygarry, who plays for Cavan now, was formerly with Burnley at underage level and came home. That one is definitely true.

    I imagine most Irish soccer players played GAA though because people who are generally good at one are good at the other.

    Cillian Sheridan was a great player for Cavan minors and Bailieboro Shamrocks in Cavan before going to Celtic. He's now not having a great time at Plymouth so could be back yet!
    How many games did Sheridan change on his own


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10 tablets


    ricky o flaherty galway utd/st pats/galway footballers and world champion irish dancer
    gerry mullen galway utd/galway footballers and connacht rugby
    ferghal o neill galway utd/galway footballers
    michael donnellan galway utd/galway footballers


  • Registered Users Posts: 22,249 ✭✭✭✭Lemlin


    How many games did Sheridan change on his own

    What exactly do you mean by that?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    Lemlin wrote: »
    What exactly do you mean by that?
    Was just asking. No reason :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 787 ✭✭✭RGS


    James McCartan of Down played Irish league soccer.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 22,249 ✭✭✭✭Lemlin


    Was just asking. No reason :D

    Haha, you're very funny, if you want to drag up old threads then bring it up on those threads.


  • Registered Users Posts: 75 ✭✭jpt77


    Peter Whitnall. Played for Down in 1991 and scored a fisted goal against Kerry in the Semi-final. He was a protestant and as far as I can remember he had a tough time from both sides for playing football. Memory is hazy. He played soccer in Irish League but can't for the life of me remember who with. I could be challenged on this info


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 298 ✭✭Kenteach


    jpt77 wrote: »
    Peter Whitnall. Played for Down in 1991 and scored a fisted goal against Kerry in the Semi-final. He was a protestant and as far as I can remember he had a tough time from both sides for playing football. Memory is hazy. He played soccer in Irish League but can't for the life of me remember who with. I could be challenged on this info

    I think you are right about him playing in the Irish league, but I'm also about 95% certain he played in the LOI for Dundalk.


  • Registered Users Posts: 75 ✭✭jpt77


    Kenteach wrote: »
    I think you are right about him playing in the Irish league, but I'm also about 95% certain he played in the LOI for Dundalk.

    You're right. Good call


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,254 ✭✭✭LeoB


    jpt77 wrote: »
    Peter Whitnall. Played for Down in 1991 and scored a fisted goal against Kerry in the Semi-final. He was a protestant and as far as I can remember he had a tough time from both sides for playing football. Memory is hazy. He played soccer in Irish League but can't for the life of me remember who with. I could be challenged on this info

    He played for Newry Town as they were back then and possibly Cliftonville. Also had spell with Dundalk.

    Not sur if it was mentioned but did Keith Wood play Minor for Clare? Mick Galwey was a member of Kerry senior panel in the 80s


  • Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭HALLOW RUBY


    I think Graham Geraghty signed for Drogheda Utd back around 1997, don't know if he ever played for the first team though.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 298 ✭✭Kenteach


    I think Graham Geraghty signed for Drogheda Utd back around 1997, don't know if he ever played for the first team though.

    I'm a Drogs fan all my life and have absolutely no recollection of geraghty signing or playing for us.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 86 ✭✭Tenderloins1


    2007_ronaldo_g_368644t.jpg


    Does this count?


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,717 ✭✭✭YFlyer


    Tony Ward both Limerick United and Thomond College.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,883 ✭✭✭Coillte_Bhoy


    I remember seeing Ger Houlihan (Armagh) playing for Sligo Rovers


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